Most important civil engineering interview question and answers
1. What is the standard height of True slump, shear slump, and collapse slump?
True Slump = 100 to 150 mm
Shear Slump = 50 to 100 mm
Collapse Slump = 25 to 75 mm
2. Do you know the formula to determine porosity for soil?
Porosity (η) = {(Volume of void / total volume of soil) x 100} %
3. What do you mean by plastic limit and liquid limit?
Liquid Limit = The minimum water content up to which the soil remains in the liquid state.
Plastic Limit = The minimum water content after which, the soil starts to crumbling
4. What are the methods to find out the shear strength of soil?
Direct shear test
Triaxial test
Unconfined compression test
Vane shear test
5. What is the California bearing ratio test( CBR test)?
It can be defined as the test which is used for evaluating the stability of soil sub-grade and other flexible pavement materials.
6. Define Fire water demand?
Fire demand is simply the amount of water required to extinguish water in a given area.
Although the actual amount of water used in a year is small for fire-demand.
But the rate of water supply is huge.
7. Draw the stress-strain curve for mild steel? Where,
A- Proportional limit point
B- Elastic limit point
C- Upper yield point
D- Lower yield point
E- True breaking stress point
F- Nominal breaking stress point
8. Can you differentiate between beam and column in terms of load distribution?
Column carries the load axially, where beam carries transversely.
9. What are the things to remember while concrete pouring?
Segregation must be avoided
Concrete must be thoroughly consolidated.
Elimination of excess water should be done.
Placement of concrete must be done in layers.
10. What happens if concrete is not cured?
Concrete loses moisture
Insufficient hydration process
Stops gaining strength
Crack and shrinkage may occur in long term.
11. What are the standard lap-length of column, beam, and slab for M20 concrete?
Column - 45D
Beam - 60D
Slab - 65D
[Where D is the dia of the bar]
12. Explain the advantages of wooden sleepers?
Cheap and easy to manufacture
easy handling without damage
suitable for track-circuited sections
alignment can be easily corrected
absorbs shocks and bears a good capacity to dampen vibration.
13. what are the advantages traffic rotary?
Most suitable when the number of intersecting roads is b/w 4 to 7.
crossing manoeuvre is completely eliminated.
all traffic including those turning right or going straight across the rotary has equal opportunity as those turning left.
It is more advantageous when the proportion of right turning traffic exceeds 30% at four-legged intersections.
14. What are the gauge widths of B.G, M.G, N.G?
Broad Gauge = 1.67 m
Meter Gauge = 1 m
Narrow Gauge = 0.762 m
15. Why it is necessary to provide super-elevation?
To counteract the effect of centrifugal force, the level of outer part of the road is raised above the inner part of the road by a certain amount.
16. What are the functions of geotextile as a construction material?
Ease and speed of construction
ability to withstand differential settlement
ability to provide a viable solution to an exceptionally difficult construction problem.
Suitability for phased construction at the restricted site.
17. What is meant by canal regulation? What are the types of canal regulation works?
Canal regulation works defined as the works which are constructed in order to regulate and control the velocity and discharge of water.
Types of canal-regulation works are-
canal falls
canal regulators (head and cross regulators)
Metering flumes
canal outlets and modules
canal escapes
18. Mention the forces that are acting on gravity dam?
Water pressure
uplift pressure
earthquake force
silt pressure
wave pressure
ice pressure
the self-weight of the dam.
Learn more about Civil engineering
19. Classify piles according to their function?
end bearing piles
friction piles
compaction piles
tension piles
anchor piles
fender piles and dolphins
batter pile
sheet piles
20. What is the function of plate load test?
Plate load test (PLT) is used to determine the bearing capacity and settlement of a particular foundation.
21. Why we provide torsional reinforcement in the slab?
At corner slab, the magnitude of the torsional moment is high.
Due to this torsional moment corner slab tends to curl and lift up which can be prevented by providing torsional reinforcement at top and bottom.
1. What is the standard height of True slump, shear slump, and collapse slump?
True Slump = 100 to 150 mm
Shear Slump = 50 to 100 mm
Collapse Slump = 25 to 75 mm
2. Do you know the formula to determine porosity for soil?
Porosity (η) = {(Volume of void / total volume of soil) x 100} %
3. What do you mean by plastic limit and liquid limit?
Liquid Limit = The minimum water content up to which the soil remains in the liquid state.
Plastic Limit = The minimum water content after which, the soil starts to crumbling
4. What are the methods to find out the shear strength of soil?
Direct shear test
Triaxial test
Unconfined compression test
Vane shear test
5. What is the California bearing ratio test( CBR test)?
It can be defined as the test which is used for evaluating the stability of soil sub-grade and other flexible pavement materials.
6. Define Fire water demand?
Fire demand is simply the amount of water required to extinguish water in a given area.
Although the actual amount of water used in a year is small for fire-demand.
But the rate of water supply is huge.
7. Draw the stress-strain curve for mild steel? Where,
A- Proportional limit point
B- Elastic limit point
C- Upper yield point
D- Lower yield point
E- True breaking stress point
F- Nominal breaking stress point
8. Can you differentiate between beam and column in terms of load distribution?
Column carries the load axially, where beam carries transversely.
9. What are the things to remember while concrete pouring?
Segregation must be avoided
Concrete must be thoroughly consolidated.
Elimination of excess water should be done.
Placement of concrete must be done in layers.
10. What happens if concrete is not cured?
Concrete loses moisture
Insufficient hydration process
Stops gaining strength
Crack and shrinkage may occur in long term.
11. What are the standard lap-length of column, beam, and slab for M20 concrete?
Column - 45D
Beam - 60D
Slab - 65D
[Where D is the dia of the bar]
12. Explain the advantages of wooden sleepers?
Cheap and easy to manufacture
easy handling without damage
suitable for track-circuited sections
alignment can be easily corrected
absorbs shocks and bears a good capacity to dampen vibration.
13. what are the advantages traffic rotary?
Most suitable when the number of intersecting roads is b/w 4 to 7.
crossing manoeuvre is completely eliminated.
all traffic including those turning right or going straight across the rotary has equal opportunity as those turning left.
It is more advantageous when the proportion of right turning traffic exceeds 30% at four-legged intersections.
14. What are the gauge widths of B.G, M.G, N.G?
Broad Gauge = 1.67 m
Meter Gauge = 1 m
Narrow Gauge = 0.762 m
15. Why it is necessary to provide super-elevation?
To counteract the effect of centrifugal force, the level of outer part of the road is raised above the inner part of the road by a certain amount.
16. What are the functions of geotextile as a construction material?
Ease and speed of construction
ability to withstand differential settlement
ability to provide a viable solution to an exceptionally difficult construction problem.
Suitability for phased construction at the restricted site.
17. What is meant by canal regulation? What are the types of canal regulation works?
Canal regulation works defined as the works which are constructed in order to regulate and control the velocity and discharge of water.
Types of canal-regulation works are-
canal falls
canal regulators (head and cross regulators)
Metering flumes
canal outlets and modules
canal escapes
18. Mention the forces that are acting on gravity dam?
Water pressure
uplift pressure
earthquake force
silt pressure
wave pressure
ice pressure
the self-weight of the dam.
Learn more about Civil engineering
19. Classify piles according to their function?
end bearing piles
friction piles
compaction piles
tension piles
anchor piles
fender piles and dolphins
batter pile
sheet piles
20. What is the function of plate load test?
Plate load test (PLT) is used to determine the bearing capacity and settlement of a particular foundation.
21. Why we provide torsional reinforcement in the slab?
At corner slab, the magnitude of the torsional moment is high.
Due to this torsional moment corner slab tends to curl and lift up which can be prevented by providing torsional reinforcement at top and bottom.
